Of Mud Puddles and Drawn Flowers
by starry-nights88
Summary: There's a new boy in town and Sora's just lucky enough to have him move in across the street.


**Of Mud Puddles and Drawn Flowers**

**Summary:** There's a new boy in town and Sora's just lucky enough to have him move in across the street.

**Starry's Corner:** See? I can write cute a fluffy! Shocking, isn't it? ...Well, I'm shocked that I wrote it while listening to a play list of songs that did nothing but encourage me to write porn. Hoorah for five year old Sora and six year old Riku! This is a side story to _Our Blessing_ about how the boys first met. Please remember to review!

It was a cool autumn day on Destiny Island. Kids were outside enjoying the sun and cool winds while their mothers sat in the shade sipping lemonade and catching up on the island's latest gossip while keeping an ever watchful eye on said children, and the fathers were doing various chores and yard work that the workweek didn't allow time for. All in all, it was the idealistic weekend.

"Mommy!" A chubby brunet called, clutching a pulled up daisy in one pudgy hand and a half melted ice cream bar in the other, "Look at the big truck!"

The woman eyed her son for a moment, an eyebrow arched as her blue eyes fell on the flower, "We must be getting new neighbors." She said, glancing off towards the moving truck before she turned back to her son, standing up, "Sora Miyake!" She snapped, her hands on her hips, "Have you been in my flower bed again, young man?"

Sora stuck his bottom lip out in a pout, his eyes going big and glassy, "But, I wanted to get you a pretty flower!" He said, holding up said flower as his mother walked down the steps towards him.

"Now, dear, I've told you before, they're prettier in the ground!" She said, shaking her head as he son dropped the clod of dirt and the now wilting daisy, "Let's go meet the new neighbors." She said, holding her arms out for her son.

The boy giggled before running into his mother's arms, "I love you, Mommy!" He said as he was lifted and cuddled in the woman's arms.

"And I, you!" She cooed, walking towards the house, "Let's go clean you up now, alright? Then we'll tell Daddy that we're going to meet the new neighbors."

"Gosh darn sink!" A brown haired man shouted, kicking the counter that held the kitchen sink, which was leaking water at an alarming rate.

The woman raised an eyebrow, holding her son as she looked at her husband, "So, I take it it's a bigger problem than you originally though, hm, Heero?" She asked in amusement.

Heero twitched, "Yes, Sakura." He said, rolling his eyes at the woman's snickers, "I'm going to the hardware store." He said.

"Alright, dear, Sora and I will be welcoming the new neighbors." Sakura said, laughing lightly as she kissed her snickering child on the forehead.

--- --- ---

"Kadaj!" A blond woman snapped, holding back a child with long braided silver hair and a clod of mud in hand, "What did I tell you about putting things in Yazoo's hair?"

The child she was talking too, blinked, staring at the woman for a moment, "...Not to?" He answered, scratching his own shoulder length hair.

The woman twitched, losing her grip on the other boy without realizing it, "Then why did you do it?" She asked through gritted teeth, glaring at the boy.

A wide, yet slightly creepy smile appeared on Kadaj's face. His eyes twinkled with mischief, "But Mother, pink and silver look so pretty together." He said in a strangle calm voice.

"Kadaj!" Roared the other boy, throwing the clod of mud at him, finally breaking from his mother's grip before jumping on the boy before him, "I'll show you what happens when you put gum in someone's hair!"

The woman blinked before crying out, rushing to her sons to attempt to pull them apart before any major damage was done.

"Daddy, Loz is throwing stuff at me."

"No I'm not."

"Daddy, he hit me with a stone!"

"I don't have any stones!"

Sephiroth Tanaka sighed heavily, setting down the box he was carrying before he pulled the rag out of his back pocket, wiping off his sweaty, now aching, brow, "Loz, I thought I took that sling shot." He said, glaring at his eldest son.

The boy blinked, hiding it behind his back, "I dunno what you're talking about, Dad." He said innocently, not noticing his youngest brother creeping up behind him, carry a large wooden sword.

Sephiroth blinked, arching an eyebrow at his youngest son, "Um...Loz..." He said, but it was too late. The six year old, Riku, already slammed the sword into the back of the other's knees, "Ha!" He cried, standing over his crying brother, "I didn't just hit you Loz! HA!"

Sakura blinked, seeing the mother and father a group of boys, she almost walked back into the safety of her own home, but it was her duty to welcome any newcomers into the neighborhood, it would be rude of her to do otherwise. So, she bravely walked toward the family, clutching her own child, now beginning to think it would have been a good idea to let him go with his father.

"Quite the bunch you have there." She said brightly, approaching the man, carefully stepping over a mud puddle and avoiding being ran over by the long haired child chasing the one that put gum in his hair.

Sephiroth blinked, looking over his shoulder, "Oh hello, didn't see you coming there!" He said, stepping away from his still fighting children, "I'm Sephiroth." He said, extending his hand to the woman.

Sakura took it, "I'm Sakura and this is my son, Sora." She said simply, "And, I take it these are your children."

Sephiroth nodded, "Yeah, all four of them. Boys too..." He said, cringing when he heard a partially painful cry from his eldest son, "Riku! Loz! Behave!" He snapped, pulling the boy's apart, "Go take care of your nose, Loz." He said, pushing the short haired boy towards his house.

He turned back to Sakura, "This is my youngest, Riku." He said, pushing the boy forward, "He's six, but fights like he's a teenager." He added, shaking his head, "And the one he sent in the house is Loz, our oldest."

Sakura nodded, "Sora's five." She said, smiling, setting the boy down. Finally some more friends around Sora's ages, one that lives close by too.

Sephiroth nodded, smiling before kneeling down, "Hey, Sora!" He greeted the boy brightly. The brunet disappeared behind his mother's skirt.

Sakura laughed, dragging her son back out, "He's shy."

"Kadaj! I swear when I get my hands on God won't be able to save you!" The blond haired woman yelled, running past her husband, Sephiroth grabbed her, "This is my wife, Risa."

The woman blinked, staring at the pair, "Oh, hello." She greeted, fixing her hair in a rush, "You'll have to excuse me!" She said, smiling before rushing after the two again.

Sephiroth chuckled, "And the two she's chasing are our middle children, Kadaj and Yazoo." He said, shaking his head.

Sakura blinked, "How precious !" She said, laughing lightly, "Sora's an only child."

"Would you like something to drink?' Sephiroth asked, nodding towards the porch, "I'll rope my wife in as well."

Sakura laughed lightly, "That'd be lovely." She said, following Sephiroth.

Sora blinked, starting to follow after his mother, but in mid-step he stopped, turning to the silver haired boy that was around his age, "Hey." He said, walking over to the boy.

Riku blinked, looking up, arching an eyebrow, "What do _you_ want?"

"Wanna play?" Sora asked sweetly.

Riku snorted before walking over to the boy, pushing him in the puddle of mud just behind him, "How's that for playing?" He asked, smirking before walking off after his brothers.

Sora pouted, tears welling up in his eyes, "MOMMY!" He wailed.

--- --- ---

"And, he just pushed Sora into the mud!" Sakura said, setting a bowl of ice cream down in front of Sora after she cleared away his dinner plate.

Heero chuckled softly, "Dear, that's the way boys play." He said.

Sakura pouted, opening her mouth to defend herself and her son, but a soft knock interpreted her. She blinked, "Who could that be at this time of night?" She asked, disappearing into the sitting room to answer the door.

Heero turned to his son, "The next time he pushes you down in the mud...just remember, walk softly and carry a big stick." He said with a nod.

Sora blinked, staring confusedly at his father, "Okay, Daddy." He said before returning to his ice cream.

"Sora, honey, there's someone here to see you!" Sakura called from the sitting room.

Sora blinked, looking over at his father before scooting out of his chair, "Coming mommy."

In the sitting room stood Risa and Riku, who was clutching a sheet of computer paper to his chest.

Risa smiled softly as Sora entered the room, "Riku has something to say to you." She said, pushing the boy forward.

Riku blushed, mumbling under his breath before he pushed the paper into Sora's hands, "Sorry." He said simply before shoving past his mother.

Risa blinked, frowning, "I'm sorry, he doesn't apologize much..." She said before leaving the house as well, Sakura closed the door behind her as Sora looked down at the sheet of paper, "What is it dear?"

"A daisy." Sora answered simply, showing his mother the picture.

"Ah, good one to replace the one you pulled up!" She replied brightly, "It's nicely drawn, what a talent Riku is for his age."

Sora pouted, "You can't plant a picture, mommy." He said.

Sakura chuckled, scooping her beloved son up into her arms, "I know, dear, but you can hang it on your wall so you can keep it safe for always."


End file.
